As The World Turns

You must go after your wishAs soon as you start to pursue a dreamyour life wakes up and everything has meaning - Barbara Sher

Monday, February 27, 2006

Geek Post - Winter Driving Time

WARNING: this post is for geeks, nerds, gearheads and anyone wishing to learn about car requirements for winter. The author tends to be somewhat zealous about such things since he treats cars like babies and so disavows any liability for depression, reflection, hunger (for more), disinterest, disruption of your day's rythm, sleepiness, nausea, big eyed syndrome or any sort of mayhem, peaceful or otherwise by readers of this post. However donations are always welcome. This post is rated GG (Geek Guidance Recommendedl).

WINTER DRIVING EH?

Coming from a tropical country, one's only major converns when driving a car are:- Will the car overheat?- Is the air-conditioning working?

And that’s it in the tropics. .

Oh the “Fun” of winter, sliding around on the ice and snow (I wish I had car like this though). I have since learned a lot since getting a car here (*sage sounding voice*). So like any new parent its been a process of discovery during winter as well as laughable and terrifying experiences. So for winter driving, there is a host of items you are better off with and for safety’s sake too.

TiresRegular tires I use are All Season Tires but only good for 3 seasons, Spring, Summer and Fall and the occasional sprinkling of snow. But any ice or real snow and you can forget about moving. I remember one hilarious moment when I was spinning my tires and not moving on a very very slight incline! I had to let my car roll back about 50 meters to a flat spot and then getting momentum to charge up that slope. How sloped? Errr less than a disabled person’s wheelchair ramp. But the worse part was, on ice, just touch the brakes and you slide, I once almost slid to the middle of a junction, lucky no cars then. Lessons lessons and ABS doesn’t help, if anything, you will probably slide further since the tires don't stop rotating.Then along comes real winter and better that you change to Winter Tires. They provide waaaaayyyyy better grip, won’t slide on ice and snow so easily, drives and brakes so much better on the white stuff. But these really suck on long trips and during the summer they have less grip because they have been made stiffer for the winter cold. See how chunky are the tread blocks.

Anti-freeze Windshield Washing LiquidIn hot weather its easy, plain water will do.In winter, anti freeze is a must, there is a lot of muck and mud thrown up by car tires and washing your winscreen is a regular affair.

Anti Freeze Coolant and Engine Oil.These are a godsend, otherwise you will have a nicely formed block of ice in the engine bay instead of an engine the next morning. Some cars have their radiator grills covered, unthinkable in SG! I also remember the engine temp dropping (!) instead of the usual heating up that cold cold day.

Engine Block HeaterTogether with the anti-freeze, this little baby will keep you engine nice and warm. Just plug in. Engine gets warmed up faster too.

Gas (petrol)Up here in the Sua Teng (Hokkien for mountain top) better to add anti-freeze to the gas. Petro-Canada already adds that to their gas so saves me a bunch of trouble.

WipersRegular wiper blades work, Winter blades better, they have a rubber sheath over the skeleton so ice get into it and become stiff.

Must have fashion accessories:

Snow brush – for brushing off all that snow that covered your car overnight. Also can be used to brush snow off oneself, be used as a pointer and a self defence weaponc against squirrels.

Ice Scraper – for scraping ice off your windshield, its hard work! Also for scraping off your tongue frozen to a metal post.

Snow shovel – to dig your car out after a really heavy snow storm

After all the lessons learned -In my next car I want heated seats!!!!!! Not nice to have very cold butts and nuts

Electric heating element for the heater instead of waiting for the engine to heat up brrrrrr it takes aaaaaaaa while...

P/S - I think Blogger is about to expire on me, super slow, takes so long to load and errors popping up. Really got gremlims, where's the sunlight? ....... I need to move back to the city where there is broadband. I found out yesterday I've only got a 28.8kps connection *sob* sigh...

Snowy Sundays

Ahhh Sundays, supposedly a day of relaxation, contemplation, breakfast in bed, watching the snow flakes fall.

Naturally it was anything but this idyllic dream.

Since I slept at almost 4am last night (fixing you know who), I woke up a wee bit later today at 10am, wah snowing quite a bit, going to Banff today, I hope the roads are clear, don't want to get stuck in the middle of the highway.

I hopped into my metal chariot and scooted off to Banff for a Sri Lankan curried lunch (what I would do for some chicken rendang so this is the next best thing), grabbed some groceries and dvds to last me the week (hah! finally got Flightplan), dropped by Circuit City to salivate at a digicam. Just salivate for now, broke after pc bits and pieces.

So after ogling, sped home to finish off reassembling the PC, along the way back, saw a whole bunch of emergency vehicles by the road. Someone in a SUV had spun off the road, probably not on winter tires, the roads were pretty snow covered today, didn't take any pics, the blowing snow would have made for blurry pics (if I only had that digicam I was eyeing *looks around for sugar mummies*). The occupants looks to be ok, huge bank of snow to cushion them. The car was funny, the nose partly pointing to sky like its saying "why me?"

Fixed PC --> fast forward to now

Now as I type this, I am happily using my revitalised PC and finally got Sound Blaster quality music to pipe into my ears, ahhhhhhhhh Heaven. The old notebook I was using was not exactly ear soothing.

Digging through my CDs, I found this classic by Quincy Jones, The Dude. The most famous track is Just Once by James Ingram. Looking at the label, it was released the year I was doing my O levels. Good grief, that was like 24 years ago. How time flies.

Meanwhile I got another lesser known track also sung by James Ingram from the song up in the tune box. Gonna dedicate this to Jomel who's needs a little bit of lovin' right now...

Everyday should be like this, eat, sleep, play computer, watch snow flakes fall....but tomorrow is monday and the start of month end madness once again....yippee...I get to collect more hours off-in-lieu for my vacation! :o)

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Guinea Pig Attack!

Me attacking the computer......

A quick recap, as some might recall, my desktop computer, which has been lonely for the last 9 months or so, decided enough was enough and departed for the blue yonder. Or I thought. Being the brilliant Brain Surgeon I was (ahem), I decided to rescusitate the little bugger and breathe life back into it. So I started off with minor surgery, replacing the Spleen a.k.a. CMOS coin sized back up battery. However, he continued to play Possum, although I could still detect a heart beat. After various time consuming prods, threats and sometimes meaningless tests (isn't this Standard Practice at hospitals?) I diagnosed a case of a faulty hard disk. So last week ( 4 hr drive, to and fro Calgary) I got me a brand new Liver ($65) ... oops I mean the HD, and it still didn't want to jump up. Damn. Further tests ensued and I came to the conclusion the Central Nervous System (a.k.a. The Motherboard itself, horrors) needed to be replaced because of a faulty Hypothallamus in its brain (a.k.a. IDE controller, the bit that makes your harddisk readable). So today, I hopped into my trusty 1964 Land Rover Mk III Wannabe and creaked and rattled my way into a very very snowy Calgary, (sheesh, just last week it was so dry and brown, last few days and today it got buried by a blizzard) and got me a brand new motherboard ($75 cheap, i had expected to pay double the amount). At the same time I also upgraded my 7 year video card to 128MB ($50 cheap, brand names in a box minimum $80). So got home earlier this everning, after a very yummy take home dinner of Kentucky Fried Chicken (amazing how good it tastes after 3 months of not having any and sitting 2 hrs in a cold car), started operating on the little bugger. Ripped everything out, put everything back together and guess what, it still doesn't work, sheesh! Then a gnawing suspicion which I had earlier manifested itself, began to gather pace, finally I admitted, its gotta be the veins (a.k.a. ribbon cable) so I pulled the old one out and put in a brand one new one and voila!!!! ITS ALIVE!!! (This also means it probably was just that cable all along that was faulty only *slaps head, spend so much time and money*)

The Culprit, faulty cable only arrrggghhhhhh

It's Alive!!! (btw this a brand new flat screen CRT (old style) 17" monitor, I noe marnee to get LCD screens....($139, LCD double the price) can someone tell me how much I burned, I lost count. The good news is that I basically have a brand new pc, except for the CDRom 48x (5 years old) and Celeron 1.7Ghz processor (4 years) I'm gonna leave the rest of its recovery for tomorrow, still have the modem card, CD Writer and old HD to reinstall plus the various software bits.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Music Rocks

Now I know why my CD collection got a lot more songs like this one by Maksim. More upbeat music gets you moving and grooving, yeah baby. Anytime I need a pick me up, Van McCoy is always a sure bet.

Years ago I used to learn how to play the piano, until I got tired of classical music, didn't appreciate it then. If Earth Wind and Fire's After The Love is Gone was the examination piece, man I would probably have aced it. *sees myself playing one hot set of keys now (day dreaming again)* but alas it was not to be and I dropped out and joined the school band instead. Boy did I had fun, (remember this was primary school, you didn't know you had to study later) it was a marching and concert band, complete with fancy turns and all. I had a valve trombone, heavy but kinda cool. Spent so many loving hours polishing it lovingly and then there was the uniforms, I got wear a jacket and tie for the very first time. But then PSLE had to show up, I stopped playing and I never got back into in Sec school, kena banned from playing in the band by my mom. So parents let your kids do what they are good at, never know who's the next Yanni.........Sigh.

So as part of my mid life resurgence, I've recently been eyeing this Yamaha keyboard for sometime liao, my hands are itching to get back. Probably won't play like Maksim but I think I can get ok with some practice (LOTS of practice.......) Nice thing about a keyboard like this, is that it has all the built in synthesizers, so it doesn't require that I have the dexterity of a 12 fingered alien. Its all about programming hehe. Most importantly, its got a earphone jack !!! My neighbours don't have to murder me or commit suicide now. But like a typical Libra, I'm still on the fence, hawing, and humming and going back to the shop to see it for the thousandth time.

Viva Forever

Several days ago, my boss come to me and asked if I knew someone. He looked very sad and something wasn't right. Then later I found out a friend of his and someone who is popular in our very small community had died the night before from a heart attack. Later I had the chance to ask more and found out the guy was only 42. Man was he young. That struck an old raw nerve, something I had buried.

For the last year or so, it's been frustrating having to adapt to a new place. Having to restart your career all over again. Working in place full of 20 year olds and wishing you were 20 also. The spirit is willing and the flesh just ain't there anymore. So mid life crisis in hand, the search for the holy grail began, what exactly I still don't know and probably will never know. But this news gave me the impetus I needed, for it reminded me of how the fragility of life can be so precious.

2 years ago when I was still working in the gym, I had just finished my workout, had chatted to a co-worker, someone I was beginning to get along with well. I then went to the locker room to drop off my gear and went back out to get a drink. As I approached the drinks counter, I saw a group of people crowding around. Someone was lying on the floor. It was the co-worker I had just chatted with minutes earlier.

I made my way to the front of the group to see what had happened and to my surprise and horror it was the guy I just chatted with moments ago. There was already some people attending to him including a doctor who was a gym member. It slowly dawned on us and finalised when the doctor said its most likely to be heart attack.The movies don't really show anything.

I will never forget the agony on his face, his pain, he couldn't talk, he couldn't lie still and kept reaching for something, someone. We did our best to make him comfortable, tough when he was struggling. We waited for over 20mins before an paramedic and ambulance crew arrived, it was an eternity. Just as the crew got here, he stopped breathing and was motionless. It was all so surreal, seeing the crew apply CPR and try to rescue him. Even a portable defibrillator didn't help.

The image of him being wheeled out of the gym on a strether, a paramedic straddling him applying chest compression is etched in my mind forever. We later got news that although they managed to revive him in the hospital, he later died. He was 50 then. Most of the staff were pretty glum for awhile after that. Being the macho men we were (I was a Trainer then), outwardly we just looked normal and moved on. Inwardly, I was in a turmoil. The suddenness of the demonstration of mortality had struck a nerve.

Now I realise that day was the turning point in how I saw life, although I probably didn't know it then. Before, when I was younger, I was reckless, carefree and immortal. I'm still carefree, the recklessness has been toned down and I'm now very mortal. I am reminded of that mortality every single day I look in th mirror and seeing the noticeably thinning balding hair, the additional wrinkles, energy levels that are not what it used to be, the expanding waistline.

But I'm just proclaiming myself to be a victim of circumstances. I figure I still have 20 good years left in me, if my heart doesn't give out first. I've the benefit of not only school but also 40 years of hindsight, I hope can remember it all.

Answers will never be found. Just get going and move on, celebrate the future and respect the past.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

In Your Eyes

I think I finally know youI can see beyond your smileI think that I can show youThat what we have is still worthwhileDon't you know that love's just like the threadThat keeps unravelling but thenIt ties us back together in the end

In your eyes, I can see my dream's reflectionsIn your eyes, I found the answers to my questionsIn your eyes, I can see the reasons why our love's aliveInn your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shoreAnd I think I've finally learned to love you more

You warned me that life changesThat no one really knowsWhether time would make us strangersOr whether time would make us growEven though the winds of time will changeIn a world where nothing stays the sameThrough it all our love will still remain

In your eyes, I can see the reasons why our love's aliveIn your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shoreAnd I think I've finally learned to love you more

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Oh to be a Squirrel

When you are in kindergarten, you discover a whole new world of sesame street and playtime

When you get to primary school, another world opens up, teachers, timetables and a trombone in the school band

Secondary school along came softball, metal workshops (tool time!), chemistry labs (danger blast zone) and the girls from the convent next door, haiz

A levels came around and so did the World Cup and we all wanted to be Paolo Rossi

National service, sergeants barking in your face, doing a thousand push ups (really), bloodied knuckles from the push ups (still have the scars) and sun tanning at the beach every other day..what a life

And then reality came along..

Work till age 30, slog for the sake of slogging, coffee was for duds, didn't know better then, work, eat, sleep, study (OMG I can't believe I did it for that long)

Work pass age 30, enjoy the fruits of work, cars, credit cards, pubs, speeding motorcycles, riding a harley davidson then meant the end of the world

Work till age 40, darn, your metabolism starts to slow, the roses by the roadside stops being a red blur and resemble actual flowers, a harley davidson isnt the end of the world now and noticed how John Travolta looks heavier now, even after toning up for Basic (looking for a skinny mirror)

Work past 40, discover you now start to use reading glasses, the energy levels are not quite the same, coffee is now a friend and moisturiser is not a four letter word

Tell you more when I get to 50, get back to me in another 10 years then I tell you

Meanwhile these red mantled squirrels have it good, eat sleep, harrass tourists, have sex, make babies, what more do they need?

An Ode

An Ode

Rise you will each single dayBright and warming to all around youThere is pleasure in seeing youFor your glow brightens the worldHelping things grow, giving them strengthFor without you, the world will be lifelessEach time you appear, you never cease to amazeA different spectacular kaleidoscope of colourYour arrival is annouced with a beautiful glowFollowed by a warmth that is so soothing and reassuringEvenings has you leaving a picturesque skyA certain sadness in seeing you goBut like your follower the clockYou never fail to rise againTruly magical

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Tyrell Musuem

Saturday morning, I drove down to Calgary, shopped for my harddisk, picked up some extra RAM at the same time.Got some games in at bowling and tried out an indoor golf driving range..woohoooo.

Then I was stumped for what to do Sunday. *ping, light bulb goes on* Drumheller! Home of the Canadian dinosaur museum and one of the world's foremost research centres. So after a yummy dimsum breakfast, off I went.

The musuem is located in the middle of what is called the Alberta badlands, really does look like a scene from some alien planet.Its home to one of the world's most concetrated areas of dinosaur finds. The road to Drumheller is really different from what I'm used to having mountains and all.

The town of Drumheller is dotted with models of dinosaurs just about all over the town. The dino on the right is the World's Biggest Dinosaur btw, he looks tiny cos I was farrrr away.

Once you step inside the musuem, its amazing to see such a huge collection of dinosaur relics. Shan't say anymore, here are some pics.

The shoulder bone of a Supersaurus. Notice the fire extinguisher to the side for scale. This is only the shoulder blade. Add together all the leg bones, back bones etc he would have stood at 3 stories tall. Whew big fella, thank goodness he's a plant eater.

The Camarasaurus shown here is similar to the Supersaurus to give you and idea how it looks like, but a smaller cousin, still big at 2 storeys tall at the shoulders.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Got a Long Weekend!

YayyyyGot a long weekend coming!Did another 11 hrs on friday (finally finished my project!), came home finished off the last of my curry, guess that will be that for oh maybe 2-3 weeks before the urge strikes again. Never mind april is coming. Crashed early again, then woke up at 1.30am and blogging away here, hai!

This coming monday is Alberta Family day so I get a long weekend off! yippeeI had wanted to go skiing sat morning, but with the really really cold weather yesterday and today, better not. The slopes wont be too friendly. Apparently when its this cold, even snow compacts and freezes (bet you didnt know snow can freeze), making the slopes somewhat slippery and not to mention very cold when you factor in the wind chill. Your face will have to be completely covered up to prevent frostbite, (oooh my cheek just fell off, not nice!). Will be -20 tmw morning. It was -35 this morning brrrr with the stiff breeze, windchill was prob like -45, i knew this was coming since we had such mild temps last month. Should warm up over the weekend (yayy) then dip again next week.

Sooooo for my long weekend, I've got a shopping trip into Calgary. My desktop computer from sg arrived with my other stuff and it aint working as I thought, since its been sitting for some 8 months plus the shipping and handling (by sea). First I thot it was the CMOS battery that crapped out, changed that, wasn't that, BIOS and CMOS now works though. Now I think its the harddisk, cos its now not booting into the O/S or does but hangs, gotta get a new one. If this isnt the fix, I hope it isnt the motherboard's IDE controller thats cranky cos that would really suck as this board is new, having just replaced it before I left. But I think its not as the BIOS can pick up the HD, finger crossed. In case your're wondering, I have a very old lap top, that once upon a time was top of the line......... :P

Oh well, sunday when I get back I will I know then (oh the fun of living 2 hrs from Calgary, for your information, I live in a place thats like living in Cameron Highlands, that far from civilisation). Other than shopping, eating at chinatown for Dim Sum, havent a clue what I want to do in Calgary yet. Maybe visit the air museum? Still have this thing for airplanes. I should go apply to become a Flight Attendant. Hmmmm maybe I should, then I can see the rest of North America for free! Can just imagine myself sashaying down the aisle. Good afternoon sir, would like your coffee in a cup or on your lap? Now gotta trim off that 15 kgs, would be tough to squeeze between that really really fat lady and whats left of the aisle.

My exercise program had just simply disappeared over the last 2 weeks with the hours put in for my project. Since mid OctoberI've accumulated enough time off in lieu to take 2 weeks off, mostly from month end closings. Gonna be using this for my trip back to Sg in april. As I dont have vacation pay yet since I havent worked at this place for a year so that will be cool being paid for my trip instead of no pay leave.

Its really crappy to try to work out when you're mentally dead tired (where's my iPod?). So tomorrow, I get to soak in the hot tub (can't wait!) at the hotel I'll be staying for the night and sunday and monday its back to work(outs)!

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Sleep and Food

Yawn, I am bushed. This week has been almost nonstop. Worked over the weekend. Yesterday did 15 hrs at work, started at 7 finish at 10, came home blog a bit ( got tagged :P), sleep at 1.30 (on dial up, trying to download iTunes, 3hrs later and only halfway, I gave up), woke at 6, work at 7, finished at 5. Yawn....

And to top it off, its been the coldest day for the last 2 months, this morning was about -28, stayed at about -20 most of the day, tonite expected to go below -30. Going to work tmw will be interesting... so to warm and cheer me up, came home today and made some of my fav curry, love lots of potatos, the chicken's hiding at the bottom ....now feeling so full, stuffed and dozy..... yummmm

tmw starting early again at 7. Think I'm gonna hit the sack early .......zzzzzz

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Spring is coming..Soon.

I'm looking forward for the snow and ice to melt and spring to come.The days are now definitely longer and things no longer look so drab and dark.Spring should be an interesting time, water rushes down streams, animals re-appearPlants start growing again, everthing turns green once moreand I don't have to worry so much about sliding the car off the roads on ice :P

Cant wait!

Castle Mountain at Sunset, taken during last Fall, the peak in the background is the same mountain. The curved bowl between them used to hold an Ice Age glacier

So so what did you do on Valentine's Day?

Sweet BabyWhen I think about your lovin'The sunday evenings, the fun we use to shareLooking through the memories in my mindSince I've laughed and cried and thought it overNow I realize that it's never over only set aside

Oh it's you sweet babyI will never be free from your embraceSweet babyOnly hopin' it's not too late to try againIt's you sweet babyEver always been captured by your smile, sweet babyI will always be right there by your sideRight by your side

Lyin' here alone I'm dreamin'My mind keeps wanderin' whyMy thoughts are only youWanderin' through the memories in my mindHow could love so real have gone so emptyI just keep wanderin' whyWell I ever find the love we shareTogether you and I

Oh it's you sweet babyThough we've had such a long hard road to climb, sweet babyOnly hopin' it's not too late to try againIt's you, sweet babyWon't you try and believe in what I say, sweet babyI will always be right there by your side, right by your side

Monday, February 13, 2006

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

It’s dawned cloudy and dreamy.Snow flakes are falling gently.You want to curl up next to the window with your favorite people, book or cuddly.Watching the squirrels playing on the trees and snow. I have the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra playing contemporary music (the orchestral version of From Russia With Love) on the CDHeavenly.

UPDATED UPDATE:

UPDATED: Well folks, couldn't find First Time, this is second on the list (hope it works): (see Updated update above)

HAPPY VALENTINES EVERYONENo matter where you are, who you are, what you are, there will always be a valentine’s for you

My song for this valentine, anyone remember a Coca Cola ad many years back?Most love songs makes you sulk, weep, reflect, sleep etc etc but not this one.

I just simply loooove this song, its so full of love and power, makes you wanna leap up kiss everyone and the world. Wish I could upload it. It brings you back to where it all begins (note present tense) :P

First TimeRobin Beck

First time, first love, oh what a feeling is this Electricity flows with the very first kiss Like a break in the clouds and the first ray of sun I can feel it inside something new has begun And it's taken control of my body and mind It began when I heard I love you

For the very first time For the very first time This life, this love, oh this sweetness I feel So mysterious yet so incredibly real It's an unchartered sea, it's an unopened door But ya got to reach out and ya gotta explore Even though you're not sure Till the moment arrives There he is and you know You're in love

For the very first time For the very first time And baby when I met you Every feeling I had was new I don't think there are words To describe the sensations, oh no no no It's an unchartered sea, it's an unopened door But ya got to reach and ya gotta explore And when something's happens That words can't define Only then do you know you're in love

For the very first time For the very first timeFor the very first time

P/s can anyone help point to a site where I can upload songs for downloading here?

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Working Sunday

Spent just about the whole day at the office today. Still clearing work. But I got my fix in going home :P

Fairview at late afternoon sun. Nice shadows on the mountain walls.

The day looked just so nice today. As I didn't have my car with me, instead of taking the cab back, I decided to walk back up home. I'd never walked the road before, always took the creek trail, but good call, on the way up saw some parts of the trail was heavy with snow, not a good idea without my gaiters. My place is about 5km away up on the hill 700 feet up. Climb took me about 50mins. But as usual, a nice looking day is not the same as a nice day. Although it was sunny, it was chilly, felt like abt -8 or so, probably colder, the forecast had been for a warm day, so I had dressed light.

Big problem trying to regulate temperature like this, the all round jacket I had on was too warm for the climb yet the weather was too cold to take it off, I never wear long johns, all I had was a teeshirt and jeans plus the jacket and good shoes. The part that always gets the coldest are my hands. I'm still searching for that very very elusive glove warm enough for me, I must have about 10 pair of gloves now.

In the end I just had the jacket completely unzipped. Nearing the end of the trek, with about 800m to go, I could feel my ears beginning to go numb, didn't have my toque, which can cover the ears, with me today. Hands were also beginning to feel cold, had picked a lighter insulated glove today, 40gms of Thinsulate and fleece still not enough, need 80gms!. So picked up the pace somewhat (yeah like one snail faster), in front of me, this 20year old appeared from the 1A highway cross country trail and took off like a jackrabbit (i knew who it was) dang if I was only 20 years younger coulda overtaken him but alas could only watch him disappear into the distance. Maybe he was colder than i was, hence the hustle :P (anyone remember The Hustle by Van McCoy?? a great Valentine's Day piece, don't miss the boat baby)

Passing the cross country trail is always interesting. They run dog sled rides there and seeing the pooches hang around is always fun.

And that was the highlight of my sunday, all of 1 hour, how time flies eh?

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Morning Star

What a day it has been, other than the time in between breakfast and dinner.

On my way out, I spotted this bright bright bright bright star in the sky. Except it was not a star, it was the planet Venus!!! Oh was it bright, looked like a plane with its landing lights on pointing straight at you except it aint moving. It is so bright, it shines its own light on moonless nights, I've been told. The day had dawned cold, chilly and clear, -20 again, this afternoon warmed up to -2 here, it was +12 in Calgary, sheesh. So clear in fact I'd swear I could see space. That made Venus shine even more brightly.

Fast forward

The night came, it was still very very clear and the Moon! It was so bright, I think street lamps in towns are not needed. You could clearly see its inperfections, the darker areas, light areas, the sea of tranquility. If it wasnt so cold, I could just sit outside and bask in its light.

I've always been fascinated by outer space. Hence my love hate relationship with science fiction. I just finished watching the movie Serenity on DVD last nite. Love space because its so fascinating what is possible out there. Watching the Mars rovers roam all over. Hate it because I'm down here.

Yes I'm a geek.

Space, the last frontier. I need to get my telescope. St Valentine, you hear me?

Friday, February 10, 2006

TGIF Not!

Brrrrr… it was cold this morning –25C no wonder I was shivering in the car, took an eternity to warm it up. The forecast was only for a low of –15C over the night, sheesh. The Weather Channel is now one of my fav tv shows :P, is it gonna be sunny, snow, cold, warm, just nice .... oh btw Vancouver had 58 days of non-stop rain kinda thing to keep you interested in that goggle box.

Just found out I got another LOOONNG weekend coming up ….. for work that is. L .

Drat, I gotta work this Sunday, have to finish some billings by the middle of next week, so now I gotta do my planned Calgary trip over one day instead of having the weekend there. Got so many places to go in Calgary. Pick up spare parts for the car, my desktop computer from sg arrived together with my other stuff but I need to get a new power supply unit cos it’s the wrong voltage for the old one. New monitor too, old one can’t be used here, wrong voltage again. Then there is my shopping for asian foods at T&T supermarket yummy, can get quite a lot of stuff there, like they sell PRIMA’s packets for Mee Siam, Laksa etc and oh yes have to get more Chili sauce! Love dried crushed Thai Chili, sets your brain on fire..

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Mid Week Swing

As often in life, there are ups and downs. Music becomes one channel to which you can tune your moods with. As some may have noticed, been posting lots of lyrics becos I rediscovered music but really mainly becos my CDs finally arrived from SG....been trying to upload the music files but I'm on a dial up :(

Fav artiste of the week - Barry White

Let The Music Play

One ticket, pleaseLord have mercy, everybody’s thereHey, what’s goin on man, yeahShe’s at home, yeah, she’s at homeYeah, she’s at home

Let the music play onJust until I feel this misery is goneMovin? kickin? groovin? keep the music strongOn and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on

I’m out here dancin and still, huhI can’t erase the things I feelThe tender love we used to shareSee, it’s like it’s no longer thereI’ve got to hide what’s killin me inside

Let the music playI just want to dance the night awayHere, right here, right here is where I’m gonna stayAll night long, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Let the music play onJust until I feel this misery is goneAh, movin? kickin? groovin? keep the music strongAh, let it play on and on, let it play on and on and on and on and on and on, play on, and on, play

I think I’m gonna be alright, ha, ha, haIf I can make it through the night, oh, LordI’ll just pretend she’s here with meI’ll close my eyes, her face I’ll seeI know it’s make believe, but it’s the only hope for me

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Magic Carpet Ride

1800 Goldwing I'm eyeing :P

Motorcycling, one of my favourite pastimes is now on the back burner. Back in SG I used to ride everyday, mainly ‘cos it’s fun and helluva lot cheaper than a car. I used to have a Honda Goldwing 1500SE, for commuting and the occasional barnstorming ride up to Kuantan or Hatyai.

Used to banzai a lot, though these days I'm smelling more roses, sightseeing. Besides at 200kmh you can’t hear the stereo!

Riding the Goldwing then was magical carpet ride, a super smooth flat six engine, barely humming along, a suspension so comfy, it’s the only bike I’ve ridden I could fall asleep on (a twist of the wrist woke you up instantly!), in fact many pillion riders did actually sleep. Open air, music in your ears with its stereo system, had a helmet mounted headset, could chit chat with passengers over the intercom or banter with a buddy on the next Wing over the CB. A Valentine’s Day ride up to Cameron Highlands would have been marvelous. Twisty roads, cool weather.. Here, tobalek, the bikes are more expensive than the cars!!! And then there’s the ice on the roads…sigh. Even a 88 wing which you could barely sell in Singapore, fetches a ridiculously high price here. So right now all I can do is dream, until I get my Wing again, with this song by Barry White on the stereo, humming along….…

I’ll Do Anything You Want Me ToBarry White

Nothin’ and nobodyBaby, could ever take or stopThe love that I have for youIt’s very simple, you see it’sBaby, it’s realIt’s so, so realWhat I feel

I’ll do for you anything you want me toYou’re my world, my hopes and dreamsWithout you, girl, it don’t mean a thingFor you I’ll do anything you want me toYou’re my world, my hopes and dreamsWithout you, girl, it don’t mean a thing

I never thought that I would be knowin’The kind of love that you have been showin’The way you do the beautiful things you doYou really know how to make me love you

Uh, ah, can’t you see I want itOoh, uh, girl, I’ve been lon-lonelyOoh, ooh, got to, got to hold youOoh, ooh, got to make love to you

Can’t you feel the fireI’m burnin’ up from one desireThe thrill from loving youI can’t help myself, I swear it’s true

Monday, February 06, 2006

Now for something not so cuddly but helluva fun

This is rather interesting, I had set out to gather all the coolest movie gadget cars of all time looking high and low and the results were somewhat surprising or unsurprising. Despite an extensive Google search, there are only two dudes that had really cool cars that stands the test of time, James Bond and Batman with two other notables. Naturally this also hints at my fav topic, definitely not Burberry..

Lotus Esprit 1977transforms into a submarine, equipped with a rear liquid concrete sprayer and underwater and sea-to air missile launchers. Kinky

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1989bullet-proof glass, fireproof body, guided missiles, jet engine booster rocket, convertible ice tires, snow skis hidden in door sills, laser-cutting device in wheel hubs and self-destruct mechanism. First and only time, 1985 I think, I heard one started in a underground garage i went Oh My God! what car is that. remember a 5000 CC v8 in land of 1300cc cars is SOMETHING to hear!

KITT 2000 circa 1984Battlestar Galactica Cylon eye, thinks and talks back at you like a Cylon and has TV on board and a mechanic who looks like she came from Victoria Secrets, how come my mechanic don't look like her sigh...

DeLorean from Back to the Future circa 1989A time jumping car, no need anything else! The two main charactors damn blur, dunno how to buy lotto, only chase baddies and girls, aiyoh

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Oh what a beautiful sunday!

Today was really nice, slept late, didn't have to work at the store today, so after lunch I decided to do some hiking up to the Lake Agnes Tea House. Its a 3.2km up hill hike, gaining some 700feet in elevation. When I started the hike just after lunch it was still a little cloudy, its been cloudy for the last 2 weeks but after that, the blue blue sky and sun came out and it was just a little too much to try and take in everything. Finally, the sun is high enough in the sky to go over fairview mountain and we get more daylight now.

Lake Agness Teahouse, closed for winter, otherwise the hot chocolate and apple pie there is just yummy, not many people come this far up in winter. Notice my fresh fresh foot print trail :P the snow was knee high in most places.